Gamberetto e Cannellini (Beans and Prawns on Toast)

Ok I’ll admit it’s not quite beans on toast but there’s some toast right and the beans that there are, are on it, so there you go eh!

Another one of my own creations and one that I really like, not for Lisa unfortunately as she doesn't like the texture of beans.

I say this a lot but this really is very simple and even more delicious, the whole thing takes about 20 mins start to finish, honest guv.

There’s something altogether fresh and clean about the dish. I think this is Italian in its nature, as I saw something with beans and prawns in an Italian restaurant once. This dish exemplifies the Italian approach of a few good ingredients cooked well.

The chilli gives it just the right amount of kick. The wine and lemon add the perfect balance of acidity to the beans

It’s surprisingly filling and wonderfully tasty, best though as a light meal

You could go the whole hog and use uncooked prawns but that’s just showing off.

1 Shallot finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

1 Garlic Clove peeled

225g Jumbo cooked king prawns

1 Red Chilli Finely Chopped

400g Tin of cannellini beans drained

150 ml of dry white wine

2 slices of thick country bread (baguette will do) per person

Olive Oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Handful of chopped parsley

Gently fry the shallot and garlic for a couple of mins in a large frying pan, season with salt and pepper

Throw in the prawns and fry for a min or two

Add the wine and reduce by half

Add the beans and simmer for about 5 mins

Meanwhile toast both side of the bread and rub with the clove of Garlic when toasted

Drizzle good olive oil onto the toast and arrange onto a plate

Stir in the chilli and parsley, season to taste, then spoon onto the toast

Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over each plate

Drizzle over with more extra virgin olive oil

Best with a glass of dry white wine

Korean Sizzling Beef

Whilst I’ve gorged many a time on Chinese or Thai food and even Cambodian I’ve never tried a Korean dish before.

This is adapted (I added chilli and a little water, ok not a paradigm shift but it’s still my own touch) from Olive Magazine

I guess this dish is from Southern Korea. I’m sure the North find time to knock up something magical in-between bouts of maniacal synchronised marching in aid of the North Korean Chiropodists, employing Blue Peter to oversee their intercontinental ballistics program and their daily 30 mins of mourning the great leader, honestly I’ve seen more convincing theatrics from Luis Suarez. I’m pretty sure though this is from the south.

So the dish right, it’s awesome and unbelievably simple to do. There’s a bit of fiddly prep to do with all the fine slicing and that but otherwise its ridiculously easy.

It’s got Mirin in it, which to the uninitiated is rice wine from Japan. Unlike Chinese rice wine which has elements of sherry this has a much smoother, sweeter and weirdly malt like taste. By Malt I don’t mean your usual Sarsons but more sort of Malted milk. I’m not really selling this am I.

Trust me though it is delicious

300g rump steak , trimmed of all fat

2 tsp sugar (any type will do)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp mirin

2 garlic cloves , chopped

1 Chilli Very finely sliced lengthways

sesame oil

vegetable oil

4 spring onions , sliced lengthways

1 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted

100g basmati rice , steamed, to serve

Slice the meat as thinly as possible. Mix the sugar, soy, mirin, garlic and 1 tsp of sesame oil, add the beef and stir well. Crack over a good grind of black pepper.

Heat a wok until very hot with 2 tsp vegetable oil. Sear the meat for a few minutes, if at this point it seems a little dry you can add a small amount of water, this thins the sauce slightly but not so much as to dilute the flavour

Then add the spring onion. Stir-fry for another minute then add the sesame seeds.

Serve with rice of your choice, in my case the egg fried variety

Finally top each plate with finely sliced Chilli if required